Being abroad is all about changing your opinions.
Mine just did.
SNCF is the company that runs all the trains in France--and sometimes they can be your bitter enemy (actually, most of the time). I once saw a guy getting slapped with a huge fine because his ticket had "traces of falsification," and even if he applied for a refund, let's face it, this is France, they're super slow about paperwork.
Dum-dah-dee-dum*
Today I purchased some complicated tickets, and let me tell you, the guys at the guichet were super helpful and nice. Even though it took a long time to get the tickets, the guy who was helping me was patient and courteous and even gave me extra sleeves to hold all the tickets :)
France might be disorganized in some areas, but I think they make up for it with gentility. Americans could learn from that.
*Anyone who has ever been in a train station in France knows that little jingle. Here's what I mean.
Life as a Teaching Assistant in France
